As a big punk fan, I was really excited to discover New Jersey-based band The Deflators. They’re a melodic punk band, taking influence from 70s power-pop and 80s new wave, creating a really cool sound in the process. Their EP, Check Your Pressure, is a perfect culmination of the band’s influences, appealing across the board.
By Jane Howkins
The EP kicks off with Liar Liar, seeing the lyrics riff off the children’s nursery rhyme, developing it into something more meaningful. One of the things I love about this band is how they manage to combine a heavy punk/alt-rock sound with extremely catchy melodies, showing they really have the best of both worlds. The chorus has a singalong quality that works well with the bouncy rhythm, getting stuck in your head straight away!
I Need To Know is up next, simply bursting with palpable energy. The bassline is really prominent, melding perfectly against the fuzzy riffs and percussion. The chorus sets the title to the track on repeat, urging you to sing along to this anthemic banger of a tune. You can really hear the 70s influence here, and it’s great to discover a band using that sound to their advantage.
Lead single Clever Girl is placed within the middle of the EP, opening with a lovely guitar riff that pulls you into the track straight away. The verses are a little stripped down, utilising the bassline well against the palm-muted guitars and fast beat, working up to the chorus in lovely style. The backing vocals tail off on the chorus, creating a really nice harmony.
It’s So Sad takes the tone in a completely different direction – it’s still upbeat, but it’s also quite melancholy, in terms of both the chord sequence used and the lyrics. It’s possibly the heaviest song here, using a really fast beat that wouldn’t be out of place in a hardcore punk song. The lyrics show a real punk spirit, singing about things such as wealth disparity and the other ills of the world.
SSLM closes Check Your Pressure on a high, adding a slightly more positive sound to the record, much needed after the previous track. The riffs have a classic rock and roll style, adding more retro vibes into the music.
Check Your Pressure is a fantastic EP, and I absolutely loved the old school sound that The Deflators have created. It’s good to hear something a bit different – especially when it’s this good!
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